Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L3/00—Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glassware; Droppers
  • B01L3/50—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes
  • B01L3/502—Containers for the purpose of retaining a material to be analysed, e.g. test tubes with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B10/00—Other methods or instruments for diagnosis, e.g. instruments for taking a cell sample, for biopsy, for vaccination diagnosis; Sex determination; Ovulation-period determination; Throat striking implements
  • A61B10/0096—Casings for storing test samples
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
  • G01N33/48—Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers
  • G01N33/50—Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing
  • G01N33/53—Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor
  • G01N33/543—Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor with an insoluble carrier for immobilising immunochemicals
  • G01N33/54366—Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
  • G01N33/48—Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers
  • G01N33/50—Chemical analysis of biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Testing involving biospecific ligand binding methods; Immunological testing
  • G01N33/53—Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor
  • G01N33/558—Immunoassay; Biospecific binding assay; Materials therefor using diffusion or migration of antigen or antibody
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
  • B01L2300/06—Auxiliary integrated devices, integrated components
  • B01L2300/0609—Holders integrated in container to position an object
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
  • B01L2300/00—Additional constructional details
  • B01L2300/06—Auxiliary integrated devices, integrated components
  • B01L2300/0627—Sensor or part of a sensor is integrated
  • B01L2300/0663—Whole sensors
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T436/00—Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing
  • Y10T436/25—Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing including sample preparation
  • Y10T436/25375—Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]
  • Y10T436/255—Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.] including use of a solid sorbent, semipermeable membrane, or liquid extraction
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T436/00—Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing
  • Y10T436/25—Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing including sample preparation
  • Y10T436/2575—Volumetric liquid transfer

Definitions

• the invention relates to immunoassay devices and methods for
• the invention provides for collection and assaying of biological fluids, particularly urine.
• the invention provides means for controlling assay sample fluid flow
• fluid flow control is accomplished by placing the assay test strip
• assay test strip is immersed is substantially limited to migration by wicking through
• sample such as urine
• solid support introduced into a fluid collection chamber, such as a urine cup,
• volume capacity of the assay sample fluid collection container is such
• Figure 2 is a cut-away view of the dipstick assay means of Figure 1.
• Figure 3 is a front view of a flow control dipstick assay means of the
• Figure 4 is a cross-section of Figure 3 along line 4-4 of Figure 3.
• Figure 5 is a front view of a holder for the dipstick assay means of
• Figure 6 is a front view of an assay sample fluid collection device of
• Figure 7 is a front view of a further embodiment of an assay sample
• analyte refers to any substance which is capable of binding either antibodies or antigens.
• Antigens may comprise, without limitation, chemical compounds, polypeptides, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, and the like, including viral particles, viral subunits, bacterial and parasite surface antigens, and host proteins that may be diagnostic of the subject's condition.
• a Dtest zoneD refers to an area in which a binder (ligand) or analyte is attached, movably or immovably, to the assay test strip portion of an assay device.
• sample loading zone refers to an area of a assay test strip on which a fluid analyte sample is applied for migration to the test zone.
• An "assay test strip” of the invention consists of, collectively, test and sample loading zone supporting membranes, as well as any filters present in the dipstick assay means of the invention.
• test sample fluid can be any fluid suspected of containing analyte of interest for which a particular assay is specific.
• Test sample may represent any body fluid, including urine, blood, sweat, lymph, intraperitoneal fluid, crude tissue extract or homogenate, derived from a fetus, neonate, juvenile or adult subject; a non-biological fluid such as water from some ecological niche, e.g., a river or a lake; or a solution used in a laboratory.
• a “label” is a molecule or compound which directly or indirectly mediates the formation of a signal (such as a color change) which is used in assay to indicate the presence, absence or concentration range of analyte of interest in a test sample.
• Labels may include enzymes, fluorescers, liposomes, erythrocyte ghosts, polymer microcapsules, color polymer particles (latex), and preferably includes sols of metal-containing compounds.
• a wide variety of patents and patent applications provide an extensive literature of different techniques for producing detectable signals in immunoassays. The following list of United States patents is merely illustrative of the type of label which can find application in this invention: U.S. Patent Nos.
• 3,646,346 discloses radioactive label; 3,654,090, 3,791,932, and 3,817,838 disclose enzyme labels; 3,996,345 discloses fluorescer-quencher labels; 4,062,733 discloses radioactive label; 4,067,959 discloses fluorescer or enzyme label; 4,104,099 discloses chemiluminescent label; and 4,160,645 discloses non-enzymatic catalyst label.
• U.S. Patent No. 3,966,879 discloses an electrophoretic technique employing an antibody zone and U.S. Patent No. 4,120,945 discloses a radioimmunoassay (RIA) where labeled analyte is initially bound to a solid support through antibody.
• U.S. Patent No. 4,233,402 discloses enzyme pair labels; U.S. Patent No. 4,720,450 discloses chemically induced fluorescent labels; and U.S. Patent No. 4,287,300 discloses enzyme anionic charge labels.
• Labels can also be metal-containing sols; i.e., metal or metal compounds such as metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal salts, metals or metal-containing compounds mixed with polymers or coated onto polymer nuclei.
• metal labels may include dry forms of any of the above-named metal or metal compound sols, and preferably includes colloidal gold in dry form.
• Fluid communication refers to structures which are in contact with, but not necessarily affixed to, one another.
• Assay refers to several different types of assay formats in which an analyte of interest can be detected using an assay test strip.
• analytes of interest in the analyte sample when present, bind a labeled tracer movably incorporated in the assay test strip (consisting of a porous membrane) at the tracer zone to form a first complex.
• the tracer is a molecule which binds the analyte of interest and is conjugated to a label, preferably a metal label, and most preferably colloidal gold.
• a second immobilized ligand corresponding to the analyte of interest is coupled to the assay test strip at the test zone.
• First complex and unbound labeled ligand mix with the test sample and be carried along therewith by capillary action (wicking) through the test zone.
• Analyte sample passes through the assay test strip bringing the first complexes, if any, into contact with the unlabeled ligand immobilized in the test zone to form a second complex of labeled ligand-analyte- immobilized ligand.
• the first immobilized ligand is immobilized in the test zone by means known in the art, including covalent bonding or attachment to an insoluble protein-coated surface (see, e.g., U.S.
• FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate features of a combination dipstick assay test strip and urine collection cup device depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, which device may be improved by application of the features of the invention.
• one or more assay test strips 12 are provided on one side of a two-sided solid support backing 8.
• Assay test strip 12 is conventional in design, and includes sample loading zone 20 in fluid communication with a test zone 23 into which are incorporated labels and reagents
• a printed tag 21 indicative of the identity of the material for which the assay is specific may optionally be included on test strip 12 distal to sample loading zone 20.
• wicking material 10 is brought into contact with assay test strip 12 by either being folded at one end over test strip 12 (FIG. 1), or by being covered at one end by assay test strip 12 (FIG. 2). In the latter embodiment, sample loading zone 20 of assay test strip 12 is folded over top edge 15 of backing 8 and layered onto wicking material 10.
• FIGS. 1 and 2 Although an improvement over prior art assay devices, the representative device of FIGS. 1 and 2 has several limitations. First, it is relatively slow to produce results in comparison to other devices due to the time necessary for assay sample fluid to wick up wicking material 10 toward assay test strip 12 (in many other dipstick assay devices, assay sample fluid is applied directly on, or adjacent to, a sample loading zone).
• assay sample fluid may not wick evenly through wicking material 10 if a minimum volume of assay sample fluid is not introduced into cup 2, or if so much assay sample fluid is introduced that wicking material 10 becomes flooded. Consequently, where the assay device includes multiple assay test strips, different volumes of fluid may be loaded onto each test strip. At times, this limitation has resulted in the failure of the device to produce reliable assay results on one or more of the test strips.
• wicking material 10 as a vehicle to deliver assay sample fluid to assay test strip 12 could be eliminated by simply reversing the orientation of sample loading zone 20 in cup 2 so it is adjacent with base 1, rather than mouth 3, retaining all other features of the device. In such an orientation, sample loading zone 20 would come into direct contact with assay sample fluid introduced into cup 2. In practice, however, this alternative fails because test subjects usually provide such quantities of assay sample fluid into urine collection cups that assay test strip 12 rapidly becomes flooded.
• the invention provides an assay device in which assay fluid sample is introduced directly to the sample loading zone of an assay test strip, wherein the device further includes means to control and direct assay sample fluid flow into the test strip, thereby avoiding oversaturation of the test strip, even in the presence of a substantial volume of assay sample fluid.
• assay sample fluid is introduced evenly into each strip, even in the presence of very small or very large volumes of assay sample fluid.
• the invention is relatively simple to manufacture.
• the dipstick assay device component of the invention 40 consists of assay test strip 22 and a support therefor (backing 28, described below).
• assay test strip 22 is disposed on one side of a two-sided backing 28.
• Backing 28 which is made from a resilient, liquid impermeable material. Typically one such material would be a plastic or plastic coated sheet which is not reactive with any of the components of the biological fluid to be assayed; e.g., urine.
• assay test strip 22 is conventional in design. Therefore, because those of ordinary skill in the art will be abundantly familiar with the design of such assay test strips, they will not be described in detail here.
• assay test strip 22 comprises bibulous membrane 24, and includes sample loading zone 30 in fluid communication with a test zone 33 into which labels and reagents are incorporated, which labels and reagents are capable of providing an observable signal indicative of the presence or absence of analyte in an assay sample fluid.
• printed tag 31 identifying the material for which the assay is specific is included on test strip 22 distal to sample loading zone 30.
• backing 28 is shaped to fit within and follow the inner diameter of a transparent urine collection cup 2 (FIGS. 6 and 7), having mouth 3 and base 1.
• backing 8 is inserted into cup 2 so sample loading zone 30 of assay test strip 22 is disposed near base 1 of cup 2.
• an assay sample fluid depth in a column of approximately 10 meters would be required to produce an ambient pressure of substantially more than 1 atmosphere.
• the total volume of assay sample fluid to be utilized will be well below what would be required to produce such a depth.
• the flow control channel of the invention will be formed of five liquid impervious, and one liquid pervious, sides.
• flow control channel 34 has five liquid impervious walls 35, 35A, 35B, 35C and backing 28, and one liquid pervious side consisting of an opening 36 through which sample loading zone 30 of assay test strip 22 protrudes.
• both flow control channel 34 and backing 28 are necessarily smaller than any assay sample fluid collection container into which they are to be placed.
• the liquid pervious side of the flow control channel may also be formed as an orifice in a liquid impervious side, or the liquid pervious side may consist of a liquid permeable membrane.
• the liquid pervious side of the flow control channel is necessary to allow the pressure within and without the flow control channel to maintain substantial equilibrium notwithstanding immersion into sample fluid and entry of fluid into the assay test strip disposed within the flow control channel.
• flow control channels are provided for each of multiple assay test strips.
• flow restriction could also be provided by alternative flow control channel designs; e.g., flow control channel 34 may be continuous in width so all test strips are disposed within the same air pocket defined by the flow control channel.
• sample fluid collects in cup 2, it contacts sample loading zone 30 and begins migrating upwards through assay test strip 22. So long as the volume of fluid introduced into cup 2 is sufficient to contact sample loading zone 30 (which may itself be placed into contact with base 1 of cup 2 to minimize the necessary volume of assay sample fluid), any amount of assay fluid up to the maximum volume capacity of cup 2 may be used in performing an assay with the device of the invention. In devices with multiple assay test strip, the sample loading zone of each is contacted by an equivalent volume of sample assay, thereby avoiding inequal distribution of sample assay fluid among the test strips.
• FIG. 5 An optional addition to the invention is a holder for holding the assay device in place in cup 2 (FIG. 5).
• the holder 40 is curved to follow the inner diameter of cup 2 and is substantially the same height as cup 2, although it will be appreciated that the holder may be of any configuration which will fit within cup 2 and hold backing 28 as described herein.
• Holder 40 includes curved portion 42 with a cut-out 44, defining vertical slots 46 and optional horizontal slot 48 for insertion of backing 28 therein.
• Curved portion 42 is shown in FIG. 4 as having end 49, which is optionally closed to protect backing 8 and may be beveled for ease of insertion of holder 40 into cup 2.
• backing 28 is placed into holder 40 so sample loading zone 30 is inserted into horizontal slot 48.
• horizontal slot 48 of cut-out 44 (FIG. 5) includes end 49 (including the optional closure of end 49, thereby defining a narrow liquid reservoir in the liquid pervious side of flow control channel 34 is enclosed.
• Holder 40 is placed into cup 2 so closed end 49, and sample loading zone 30 enclosed therein, are adjacent to mouth 3 of cup 2 (FIG. 7).
• Cap 45 (which may be of any design which provides a watertight seal; e.g., a screw-on or snap-fit design) is included to close cup 2.
• Assay sample fluid (usually urine) is introduced into cup 2.
• cap 45 is placed onto cup 2 to provide it with a watertight seal.
• the laboratory technician inverts cup 2 so assay sample fluid flows into horizontal slot 48.
• the combination of horizontal slot 48, vertical slots 46 and closed end 49 define a fluid reservoir into which sample loading zone 30 of assay test strip 22 becomes immersed on inversion of cup 2 (FIG. 8).
• Assay sample fluid then migrates evenly through assay test strip 22 and any other test strips present in the device. Assay results are viewed through the transparent walls of cup 2.
• the invention may be utilized to assay any fluid for any analyte of interest, it is especially well-adapted to screening urine for the presence of narcotics.
• NIDA National Institute on Drug Abuse
• PCP phencyclidine
• amphetamines amphetamines
• analytes tested can include marijuana metabolites; tetrahydrocannabinol and other marijuana metabolites, cocaine metabolites, opiate metabolites, phencyclidine (PCP, Angel Dust), amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, methaqualone, and propoxyphene.
• the assay test strips for drug tests preferably have the sensitivity equal to the cutoffs recommended by Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration (SAMSHA) and NIDA, which most employers use. Binders and reagents for use in constructing assay test strips for use in detecting drugs of abuse are well-known in the art and will not be described in detail here.
• a sample integrity monitoring system will be incorporated into the device. Such a system is used to determine whether adulterants have been added to the sample or if its quality is otherwise compromised.
• the sample integrity monitoring system may evaulate any or all of the pH, osmolality (the total concentration of solutes in urine, expressed as mOsm/kg and measured as a function of fluid specific gravity) of, or albumin, creatinine, glutaraldehye and nitrite levels in, the sample.
• the system is comprised of one or more additional test strips (not shown) placed on backing 28, or test pads integrated into assay test strip 22 adjacent to printed tag 31 (as described in co-pending, commonly owned U.S. Patent Application Serial Number , filed July 29, 1999).

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Urology & Nephrology (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Cell Biology (AREA)
• Biotechnology (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
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• Biochemistry (AREA)
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• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
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• Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)
• Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)

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Citations (5)

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• 1998
  • 1998-11-16 US US09/192,969 patent/US6379620B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1999
  • 1999-08-18 US US09/509,378 patent/US6548019B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-08-18 CA CA002324413A patent/CA2324413C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-08-18 AT AT99941229T patent/ATE244067T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1999-08-18 WO PCT/US1999/018881 patent/WO2000029111A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-08-18 AU AU54922/99A patent/AU770932B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1999-08-18 DE DE69909232T patent/DE69909232T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-08-18 EP EP99941229A patent/EP1028806B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-12-15 TW TW088121993A patent/TW461827B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2002
  • 2002-03-04 US US10/091,162 patent/US6497843B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-10-04 US US10/264,605 patent/US6805837B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2003
  • 2003-02-13 US US10/366,921 patent/US6730268B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2004
  • 2004-04-16 US US10/826,473 patent/US20040197228A1/en not_active Abandoned

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